Bank of America has released a list of six consumer staples companies it considers top picks heading into first-quarter earnings season, citing a mix of near-term catalysts and earnings expectations across beverages, packaged foods and household products. The selections include The Coca-Cola Company, The Vita Coco Company, Mondelez International, Smithfield Foods, Colgate-Palmolive and Church & Dwight.
Analysts at the bank provided company-level estimates and flagged key items to monitor on upcoming calls, from sponsorship opportunities and leadership commentary to refranchising activity and tariff risks. Below we outline BofA's projections and the specific factors the firm highlighted for each name.
1. The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO)
BofA assigns a Buy rating to Coca-Cola and expects the company to report first-quarter 2026 results pre-market on April 28. The bank's earnings per share estimate is $0.79, slightly below the consensus figure of $0.81, and it forecasts unit case volumes down 0.2% year-over-year.
On a broader basis, BofA projects total company organic sales growth of 5.8%, with gross margin of 63.1% and operating margin of 34.3%. Analysts point to several near-term focus areas: potential benefits from the company's role as a global World Cup sponsor, updates on CCBA refranchising efforts, ongoing IRS tax litigation and commentary provided by new CEO Henrique Braun, whose first conference call will follow his April 1 assumption of the role.
The bank's notes also reference recent developments noted in market coverage: Sprite's return as the NBA's official global soft drink partner, a lowered price target from one rival firm citing cost pressures, and another firm reiterating an Overweight rating.
2. The Vita Coco Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:COCO)
BofA values Vita Coco with a $60 price objective, applying 23.5 times estimated 2027 enterprise value to EBITDA. The bank places a premium on the shares relative to peers based on the potential for robust sales and profit growth.
Upside risks flagged by the firm include faster-than-expected declines in ocean freight rates and strong category growth. Downside risks include the possibility of tariffs returning on coconuts and rising ocean freight rates. Other market participants have increased price targets for Vita Coco, with Evercore ISI and Morgan Stanley lifting their outlooks following strong scanner sales data and upward revisions to adjusted EBITDA estimates for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
3. Mondelez International Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLZ)
Mondelez is rated Buy by BofA and is scheduled to report first-quarter results after the close on April 28. The bank's EPS estimates are $0.60 for the quarter and $3.02 for fiscal 2026, compared with consensus estimates of $0.61 and $3.03, respectively. BofA has raised its price objective to $65 from $62, using 19.5 times its 2027 earnings estimates as a valuation reference.
Other broker commentary referenced alongside BofA's view includes a downgrade to Neutral by Rothschild Redburn due to concerns over softening volumes, while another firm retained its Buy recommendation. Mondelez also recently outlined a long-term plan aimed at reinvigorating growth in developed markets.
4. Smithfield Foods (NASDAQ:SFD)
Smithfield Foods carries a Buy rating from BofA and reports first-quarter results pre-open on April 28. The bank's adjusted EBITDA estimate is $393 million and EPS is estimated at $0.58, below consensus figures of $407 million for adjusted EBITDA and $0.61 for EPS. BofA raised its price objective to $33 from $32.
For context, Smithfield's fourth-quarter 2025 results included EPS of $0.83 on revenue of $4.23 billion, which exceeded market expectations.
5. Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL)
BofA maintains a Buy rating on Colgate-Palmolive but trimmed its fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings estimate to $3.80 from $3.90. The reduction reflects foreign exchange effects, changes in the timing of a North America toothpaste launch and higher oil costs. The bank also lowered its price objective to $102 from $105.
Market actions referenced include a rating upgrade to Buy from one broker and a downgrade to Hold from another, the latter citing inflationary pressure. Colgate-Palmolive also announced a leadership change in its legal department and an adjustment to its segment reporting structure.
6. Church & Dwight (NYSE:CHD)
Church & Dwight is rated Buy by BofA and is slated to report first-quarter results pre-market on May 1. The bank's earnings estimate is $0.92, with an expectation of 3.1% organic sales growth, volumes up 1.9% and pricing up 1.1%.
In the prior quarter, Church & Dwight reported fourth-quarter EPS of $0.86, slightly above consensus, after which the company saw rating upgrades to Neutral from multiple firms and received price target increases from other analysts.
Bank of America's selections emphasize a mix of event-driven and operational factors that could influence near-term results: sponsorship and leadership commentary at Coca-Cola; logistics and tariff sensitivity at Vita Coco; volume and margin dynamics at Mondelez and Smithfield; and product launch timing, foreign exchange and cost pressures at Colgate-Palmolive. Church & Dwight's outlook highlights modest organic growth driven by a combination of volume and pricing.
Investors watching the consumer staples sector through earnings season will find multiple points of focus across the group, from macro-related cost inputs and freight trends to company-specific strategic moves and leadership transitions. BofA's estimates provide a baseline for what the bank expects each company to report, and its price objectives and valuation references indicate where the firm sees potential upside or downside relative to current market prices.